Effect of leaching on the composition of hydration phases during chloride exposure of mortar

Mortar specimens were exposed to either a 3% NaCl solution or a 3% NaCl+KOH solution for up to 180 days. Exposure to the NaCl solution provoked much more leaching than the NaCl+KOH exposure. Leaching strongly impacted the chloride ingress profiles. The extended leaching led to a maximum total chloride content almost three times higher and a deeper chloride penetration than exposure with limited leaching after 180 days. The higher maximum chloride content seems to be linked to the enhanced binding capacity of the C-S-H and AFm phases upon moderate leaching as determined by SEM-EDS. The total chloride profile appears to be governed by multi-ion transport and the interaction of chloride with the hydration phases. Service life prediction and per-formance testing both rely on total chloride profiles and therefore ought to take these interactions into account.     «

Mortar specimens were exposed to either a 3% NaCl solution or a 3% NaCl+KOH solution for up to 180 days. Exposure to the NaCl solution provoked much more leaching than the NaCl+KOH exposure. Leaching strongly impacted the chloride ingress profiles. The extended leaching led to a maximum total chloride content almost three times higher and a deeper chloride penetration than exposure with limited leaching after 180 days. The higher maximum chloride content seems to be linked to the enhanced binding...     »